In These Dark Woods
by hopefulheart108
Summary: They look so familiar, but at the same time, they don't. All he want to find and have his life back to its normal self once he finds those two, but he knew that's not possible from what he've seen. How do they live with themselves, knowing that they're doing this? And this was coming from one of the most hated man in the kingdom. Sequel to 'Alice Hero Sacrifice'.
1. Chapter 1

"Tonight, we'll be showing the sad fate that some of this world carry." He payed his attention towards the brown-haired woman who stood in the middle of this small town.

Highroller was actually on a search of those two nitwit zebras. The Zebra Brothers haven't returned to East Citadel in such a long time, about a little more than a month. Highroller would had love to replaced them with someone more skilled and intelligence, someone who was basically much better than the zebras, but there wasn't much animals on his side who are brave enough to have a job that involves being ordered by him much more than usual. So, the only thing he can do is to try to find them.

 _Those idiots._ Highroller thought bitterly.

"Children that God has abandoned, restlessly creeping out." The woman shouted, even though there was already a group of humans and animals surrounding her and her own small group, who passed out flyers for this circus. "Children who can't even carry the trembling limbs they were born with."

Even though there was this group of circus folk distracting them, Highroller thought at least one or two of these residents of the small town would be able to recognize him since he did start a war, but no one doesn't seem to recognize him one bit or even look very shock or fearful of him. They were either watching the circus people or just walking by, minding their own business, but Highroller decided that maybe it's for the best that no one panicked at the sight of him for now.

"Their shaking tongues even accidentally cut out." The woman continued her disturbing monologue. "The crowns of their heads that caress the dark clouds."

The woman was dressed as ringmaster in red, standing out from her coworkers, who were dressed like colorful clowns. Highroller find this ringmaster odd from her disturbing information about these children to the fact that her flawless skin was almost doll-like.

Highroller slightly shook his head, remembering that he's here to find those zebras, not to listen toa bunch of performers, especially for the fact that he heard about the zebras around this area from the rumors. If rumors are the only source he found, the former jester would take it. He just wants to get them back.

"They smile as they dream of their mother's embrace." The woman continued.

The former jester was about to turn away from this display to search for the twins when the notice something right next to the blond twins. Right next to those twins were another pair of twins. _**Zebra twins.**_

The human's eyes widen in pure shock, seeing the Zebra Brothers dressed as clowns and passing out flyers like the other clowns. He gritted his teeth, thinking the only possibility why they're doing this: The zebras must had ran from their lifes as his servants, and try to have a new life as clowns in the circus. This is the only reason he could think of.

Highroller wanted to scream at them for willing to work at the circus and not with him, but he doesn't want to make a scene until he drags those zebra twins back to East Citadel. Suddenly, he noticed Sparky White looking at him with a smile, but quickly turn away from him.

Highroller's hands turn into fists as he thought, _They know I'm here. How dare dare they not shiver in fear when they see me!_

"Ooh, the deformity!" The female ringmaster shouted proudly to everyone in the hearing range. "DEFORMITY!"

The former jester's eyes widen when her saw the Zebra Brothers running into the forest, and taking his chance, Highroller ran after them. The last thing he heard from the ringmaster was, "Drop by and see them... Drop by and see them..."


	2. Chapter 2

_Deep into the forest_

 _Far far in the back that way_

 _There is a circus_

Highroller had just notice the sky getting dark as he took a break from chasing after the Zebra Brothers. He was glad that those zebras left their hoof prints in the ground or else he might never found them.

Slowly walking on the path of zebra prints, he could hear the sound of circus music as he notice the somewhat bright lights. Getting closer to this source of life, he could see this circus the group from the small town displayed.

It was a rather large, red and dull white striped circus tent as its smaller tents and cages were almost hiding in the back. On the bigger tent was a weakened wooden sign that says, " Dark Woods Circus."

 _The chairman with the big eyes_

 _And ten meters tall_

 _I have to find those two and drag them back to East Citadel._ Highroller thought, approaching the entrance of the circus tent.

Highroller was suddenly stopped at the circus's entrance by two pairs of... long legs? Looking up, the former jester's eyes widen in pure shock.

 _All of the cast is jolly_

 _Their forms are rather strange_

 _But it's so fun!_

These impossibly long legs belong to two humans. A man and a woman.

The woman had short, slightly curled, black hair, dark brown eyes, and pink skin. She wore a dark turquoise dress with long sleeves and it reaches to her ankles, and black flats. Several yellow and blue clips were attached to her hair, along with a yellow, round earring on her right ear.

The man had red eyes with one of them covered by an eyepatch, pink skin, and black hair that reached the bottom of his neck, which was tied back into a low ponytail. He wore a dark blue tux with black vertical stripes, black shoes, and a black bow tie with silver stripes. On top of his head was a black top hat, and there was a yellow, round earring on his left earring.

Highroller swears that their faces looks extremely familiar, but he doesn't exactly remember who they are. Maybe it's their clothes and hair that's throwing him off.

With a wide smile across her face, the woman said, "Hello, and welcome to the Dark Woods Circus."

The former jester swears that her voice was very familiar, but her cheery tone was making it hard for him to remember the voice's owner.

"My name is Raisa Golly, and this is my friend, Neil Welles." The woman said with a wide smile. "If you buy a ticket, you'll be able to see our dance."

Highroller wasn't interested in the duo's dance at all, but he will buy a ticket to see the zebras. Taking out a few gold coins from his pocket, Highroller said demandingly, "Take it!"

With that permanent smile still on her face, Raisa took the coins, put them in her pocket, and gave him the red ticket from that same pocket. As Highroller enter the tent, the tall woman shouted to him, "Enjoy the show!"

Once he left, Raisa's smile suddenly turn into a frown as she said in a low whisper, "This might be the only time I feel sorry for him."

Neil nodded as a frown forms on his face too.

In the circus tent, Highroller sat in the middle row of the seats. He stared at the ring, waiting for the performances to happen as he wishes that time would go faster. Letting out a sigh, Highroller thought to himself, _What am I doing here? Just to see the zebras and drag them back to East Citadel? I wish I could had waited a little longer for someone who's willing to become a servant for me, but I guess that's just wishful thinking there._

Highroller's mismatched eyes widen when the lights darkened as a spotlight appears on the middle of the ring. Blond twins walk to the middle of the spotlight. The former jester recognizes them as some of the clowns from the small town.

The duo bowed towards the audience and shouted together, "Welcome to the Dark Woods Circus!"

"Here's our first act..." The male twin started.

"Double Stripes!" The female twin loudly announces.

As the twins walk off with a few backflips on the way, another pair of twins took their place.

 _One with two heads_

Highroller wanted his jaw to drop at the sight, but he was too shock at the sight of this horrific monster. This was actually a combination of the Zebra Brothers. He could see the thick stitches that that connected them by their shoulders as if it's telling everyone that one half of them were cut up and sown together. Oddly enough, their faces looks rather rotten, something Highroller didn't even noticed before when he first saw the two.

He expected the rest of the crowd to be as shock as him, but instead of that, the crowd either cheered or awed, and clapped as bright red balloons rain down upon 'Double Stripes'.

 _Are they really that okay with this? How is this entertaining?_ Highroller thought, wondering what's wrong with them.

A pigtailed girl soon skipped to the middle of the room, dressed in tight and almost hid the zebras behind her. Her hand reach behind her to place her hand on Sparky White's head, and said, "Alright, Double Stripes. It's time for the next act."

The zebras obeyed the young woman and happily walk out of here. With that wide smile across her face, the green haired girl said, "Time for the next act: The Deformed Diva!"

 _A deformed diva_

The face of the next performer was oddly familiar to him, but Highroller was too distracted with how she looks.

Her skin was a very light shade of gray as her dirty black hair that reaches to the middle of her back. She was a gray dress that was long in the back and short in the front, revealing her goat-like legs. Covering her eyes was a black and pink piece of cloth.

A low and dull sound of music was heard throughout the circus tent as the Deformed Diva begin to dance as if there was a partner with her.

Highroller was ever so confuse as the crowd quietly cheered, intensely watching her every move. He doesn't understand how this could be entertaining, especially since the young woman seem to be kind of struggling with her solo dance. His hands turn into fists, suddenly remembering his past before the war. Watching her dance just gives him painful memories as a jester for the former emperor.

The music suddenly stop as the goat-legged woman walk to the back as a blue-haired man walk to the middle of the circus ring.

 _How many performances do they have? And shouldn't they be a little more longer than this?_ Highroller wonder to himself.

"Our next performance is the Blue Beast!" The blue-haired man said with a little bow.

 _A blue beast that loves to eat things cold_

The way this performer came in was different compared tot he other performers. Instead of just walking in, like the others, this performer was pulled in while being trapped in an iron-barred cage. The masked helpers seem to be very cautious with this performer, keeping their distance away from him.

"For everyone's safety, the Blue Beast must perform in his cage. Enjoy~!" The blue-haired man explained, still sounding quite cheerful.

Highroller slowly raised an eyebrow, watching one of the masked helpers slowly walk towards the cage with a covered plate. The masked helper quietly open the small door compartment and slip the plate in, causing the Blue Beast to look up at him. Once the helper quickly took the cover off the plate, the performer launched himself to the plate's food, devouring it as fast he could.

The helpers ran away as fast as they could while the crowd seems to be in great awe at this display of gore, all except for Highroller himself. He was in horror for the fact that the rest of the crowd wasn't disturbed by this and the fact that this Blue Beast wasn't some kind of monster as he expected, but the Blue Beast was actually a human, or at least used to be a human.

Sitting right next to the cage's metal bars, the Blue Beast was able to be seen, eating the remains of what seems to be either a human or an animal of some kind. The Blue Beast seems to be a young man with messy, gray hair and dark, empty eyes. He was dressed in a light blue straight jacket and black pants. Highroller wasn't too such if he even recognizes this performer as someone else with his behavior.

Highroller tried his best to walk out of this circus tent, hoping none of the circus workers would notice him.

 _These guys must had forced them to do these 'acts'. There's no way the zebras are stupid enough to be willing to be fused together like that._ Highroller thought, standing outside of the circus tent as he breathes heavily. _And... They were acting to obedient to them too... Something's wrong._

His eyes widen in realization at the fact he's alone now. Not even those long-legged freaks were around. Looking at the large circus tent once again, he continue to think to himself, _Maybe I can go to the living quarters of this place and help the zebras out of here._

Letting out a soft sigh, Highroller walk towards the back of the circus tent as he hope to get the zebras back to East Citadel.

 _This is too much work for two servants._ Highroller thought with a shake of his head.


	3. Chapter 3

Highroller could still hear the circus music as he walk towards the circus's living quarters to look for the zebras.

 _I'm surprise no one is trying to stop me._ Highroller thought, expecting at least a few guards to be around the circus. This definitely a place where you want to hide your secrets. _Then again, they don't know what I want._

He was able to pass by one of the small, colorful tents when he suddenly heard someone crying from one of the tents. Peeking into the light green tent with its small tear, Highroller was able to see the Deforrmed Diva crying inside a small cage.

 _Does anyone wish that I were alive?_

 _So undesirable I am in this body?_

Highroller suddenly notice "Double Stripes" entering the tent, causing the Deformed Diva to stop crying and turn her head towards the zebras even though she still have the blindfold on.

 _Why do you look at me like that?_

 _This face that is rotting_

The Sparky Black half of "Double Stripes" slowly reach out towards the Deformed Diva and took off her blindfold, revealing her pale blue eyes, He took a bit of her, long black hair into his hoof and gently kiss it.

The deformed woman softly cried and quietly said, "It's painful." Highroller swears that her voice was painfully familiar, but her voice was a bit too weak for him to even recognize the voice's owner.

 _It's painful_

The Sparky Black half gripped onto her hair tightly while the Sparky White half seems to be staring off into space with a small smile on his face.

 _It's painful_

 _And it can't be helped_

 _She said it_

 _But still, we continue this circus_

"I know it's painful, but it can't be helped. Since ever we've been captured, we've been through awful experiments by those... I'm not even sure what they are, but they're definitely no humans." Sparky Black said. "Look at what they did to us! Look at what they did to my brother..."

Highroller look at Sparky White to see what Sparky Black means by that.

 _It's fun. So fun!_

 _This circus is so fun_

 _Rotten fruit, to dissolve my eyes_

 _My skin festers, reflected on my eyes_

Sparky White let out a chuchkle and said, "The circus is not that bad. You just have to get used to it."

Sparky Black, at first, bitterly look at his brother, but soon softened up.

"See?" Sparky Black said. "...No one deserves this. Not even you, and you're our enemy."

Highroller tried his best to think who this woman is, but his mind just becomes a complete blank yet there was something hurting his brain.

 _I want to die_

 _Want to die_

Sparky Black look at the tent's entrance and said, "Sorry, but we have to go."

As the zebra twins slowly walk out of here, the woman let out a soft sob and said, "Please, don't go..."

Highroller swears that the woman was looking straight at him as he quickly walk away from it. He can hear the woman crying though the former jester was at a good distance away from the tent.

 _Get me out of here, please_

 _It is impossible for anyone to say and feel_

he slowly back away from the light green tent. He doesn't know what to do. Just drag the zebras out of here? Possibly ask Twin Master for help? He almost felt desperate.

Highrollr was honestly afraid of these circus people, especially of what they did to their performers.

"The body is distorted in order to bend to that twisted figure." Highroller felt like he couldn't breathe, remembering that voice before.

"To crawl on the illuminated street with paper lanterns."A hand covered his mouth although Highroller wasn't too sure what to say at all.

"Everyone knows the feeling of walking down the street." The ringmaster bend down to rest her chin on Highroller's shoulder. "This child has to cower alone."

The ringmaster widen fer smile as she continued, "I guess the shadows reach long, but the friends that talk have their waists aligned."

The former jester didn't know what to do, hearing footsteps behind them.

"You are later and before and by yourself." The ringmaster practically purred in his ear, sending uneasy shivers down his back.

"Oh, you're here, you're here!" A voice shouted behind them. Highroller couldn't feel anything as the ringmaster gently grab his chin and him awkwardly look up at her face.

Her doll-like face now features cracks on her left cheek like a broken porcelain doll, and her green eyes were now a bright red, almost glowing. Looking at him with a wide smile, she said, "Drop by and see them."

Highroller remembers those words before.

"Drop by and see them." The ringmaster repeated.

Suddenly, his vision slowly darkens when he notice a tall figure behind last thing he heard before his vision completely turned black was, in almost a whisper, "Drop by, to the Dark Woods."

* * *

In a small town near the woods, a group of circus people stood in the middle of it, trying to grab the attention of the humans and the animals.

Next to the ringmaster was the newest member of their circus, though he does seem to be a bit out of place. This new member was just a jester dressed in bright red with black and red roses on the tips of his hat.

As he hand out flyers for the circus with a smile on his face, all he say is, "It's fun..."


End file.
